Hood catch



R. G. MOORE July 31, 1934.

HOOD CATCH Filed Feb. l0, 1952 Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED VSTATESPATENT OFFICE HOOD CATCH i v Raymond G. Moore, Bridgeport, Conn.,assigner to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation ofConnecticut Application February 10, 1932, Serial No. 591,951 s claims.(c1. 292-48) 1The present inventionrelates to improvements in hoodcatches, particularly of the type having `catch means interiorly and ateach end of the hood, and which are adapted to be operated by a singleexteriorly arranged operating handle disposed substantially centrally ofthe hood. In one type of catch heretofore in use a torsional rock shaftwas provided extending substantially the length of the hood and had aseries of crank means for rotating the shaft and for engaging keeperbrackets. This type oi catch depended on the spring tension produced bytorsional twisting of the shaft, and because of its length and theconstant twisting to whichV it was submitted was subjected tomal-adjustment, rapid deterioration, vibration, and other objectionableconditions. It is proposed in the exemplary illustrated embodiment ofthe present invention to provide catch means at each end of the hood, inthe form of independently formed crank members, `operating handle means,which may be placed at any desired point vertically of the hood, andmovement translating means between the handle means and catch meansincluding a vertically movable member having spring arms connected tothe catch means, and which are adapted to be tensioned by bendinglengthwise as the catch means are moved into operative position.

Another object is to provide a hood catch which will adapt itself tovariations in the longitudinal and vertical dimensions of the hoodwithout man terial change in the catch structure. A further object is toprovide a hood catch which will insure positive and proper engagement ofthe catch means at each end of the hood, irrespective of variations andirregularities that may occur in the disposition of the hood and thearrangement of the keeper means. A still further object is to provide rahood catch which will efectually hold the hood downwardly and inwardly.

With the above and other objects in view an `embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawing, and this embodiment will behereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through the hood and frame andshowing the catch in plan, the same being in its operative position,intermediate portions of the hood and catch being broken away. y

Fig. 2 is an interior elevation `showing the operative position of thecatch, and indicating the inoperative position by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters indicate correspending parts throughout theseveral iigures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the automobile hood 10 is adapted to close inthe usual manner against the lacings l1 and 12 of the radiator frame 13and cowl portion 14 of the chassis.

Upon the inner face of the hood, and preferf ably at'a central pointbetween the hood ends and near the upper edge of the hood side, there isriveted or otherwise suitably secured a bracket plate 15 having apressed up circular bearing l The handle 22 is provided with a reduced ldiameter shank 23 which is journaled in the bushing 19, and at its innerend is provided with a threaded hole 24 and Wedge shaped lugs 25-25 ateach side thereof and upon which a crank arm 26 is engaged, the crankarm being provided for this purpose with a beveled edge rectangularopening 27, which engages the lugs with a tight Wedge fit. A headedscrew 28 is screwed into the threaded hole 24 and secures the crank armin tight non-rotatable relation to the handle shaft 23, and at thesametime retains the handle in its bearing.

The crank arm 26 is provided at one end with an inwardly projectingcrank pin 29 engaged with a slot 30 of a slide member 31, mounted forvertical movement in vertical slots 32-32 provided in a pair of flanges33-33 bent inwardly from the vertical side edges of the bracket platel5. The slide member 31 is provided with a pair of elongated arms 34 and35 extending at each side of the bracket plate and to which are secureda pair of spring rods 36 and 37, which in turn are connected to thecatch means, to be hereinafter more fully described. The rods areconveniently secured to the slide member` by providing enlargedball-like heads 38 and 39 upon their inner ends, the inner end portionsof the rods being disposed in longitudinal cylindrical sockets 40 and 41formed in the arms 34 and 35 and the ball ends 38 and 39 being disposedin bulged out enlargements 42 and 43 at the inner ends of said sockets.The slide member is preferably'formed of sheet 'metal folded upon itselfalong its lower edge, so'that the rod ends may thus be con'- venientlyenfolded yand assembled in the sockets during formation of the slidemember. The intermediate portion of the slide member between the bracketanges 33-33 is extended upwardly with respect to the upper edge of theextension arms 34 and 35, and the two folded portions are ico securedtogether along the upper edge by a flange 44, at the upper edge of oneportion folded over and upon the back of the other portion. Forconvenience in assembling the slots 32-32 of the bracket are providedwith clearance cuts 45 and 46 near their lower ends so arranged as toclear.

the folded over iange 44 and the bulged socket portions 42 and 43 of theslide member, thus permitting the slide member to be longitudinallyengaged with the bracket through the slots 32-32. When assembled theenlargement formed by the flange 44 which is wider than the slotsl 32-32prevents longitudinal displacement of the slide by abutment with theinner sides of the iianges 33-33.

It will be observed that the slot 30 extends at one side of the centerof the slide member, so that rotation of the operating handle and crank26 between the operative and inoperative positions is limited to anoscillatory movement through 180".l The slot is provided at its innerend with a detent recess 47, in which the crank pin 29 seats undertension in the operative position, and thus yieldably retains the partsin position. This detent portion is preferably centrally of the couplingmember, the slot extending at one side of the center, so that in theoperative position the pin is centralized between the spring rods-36 and37 and exerts an even lifting pressure thereon.

The spring rods 36 and 37 are extended into proximity to the endextremities of the hood and are respectively provided with eye-loops 48and 49, engaged by eye-loops 50 and 5l provided at the upper ends of apair of connecting rods 52 and 53 provided with eye-loops 54 and 55 attheir respective lower ends and which are connected to the catch members56 and 57 at each end of the hood. These catch members are preferablyformed of wire stock bent into substantially rectangular form and arehingedly mounted on the hood by means of brackets 58 and 59 riveted tothe hood and curled about one side of the brackets. The swinging endsare respectively provided with bent bearing portions 60 and 61 to whichthe eye-loops 54 and 55 are connected.

The catch members 56 and 57 are adapted to engage angular keeperbrackets 62 and 63, suitably mounted on the radiator frame and cowl, orupon any other convenient part of the chassis in proximity to the hoodends. These brackets are illustrated as formed of sheet metal, and theirengaging faces which are preferably disposed at an angle of 45, arerespectively provided with pressed out rounded ribs 64 and 65 forengagement by the rounded crank ends, this arrangement providingpositive and hrm engagement, irrespective of variations in the mountingand disposition of the parts.

The operation is as follows:-

As shown by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3 the hood catch is in itsinoperative or released position, the catch members 56 and 57 in thiscase depending so that they clear the keeper brackets as the hood isclosed against the lacings, and the spring rods 36 and 37 being in theirstraight untensioned relation. As the handle 22 and crank arm 26 areturned to the operative position shown in full lines the slide member 31is movedV upwardly in the slots 32, drawing the rods 52 and 53 upwardly.This movement nrst brings the swinging ends of the catch members underand into engagement with the keeper brackets, whereupon the spring rods36 and 37 are sprung under tension as the movement of the handle iscompleted, thus putting the catch members under tension, so that thehood is effectually held downwardly and inwardly through the tendency ofthe catch members to move upwardly on the inclined keeper surfaces. Inthe operative position the crank pin 29 engages the detent recess 47 andthe parts are thus yieldably held in operative position under thetension of the spring rods 36 and 37.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodimentof my invention, but it will be understood that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as dened in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent iszi 1. In a hood latching device, movable catch meansfor engaging keeper means, a movement translating slide member having upand down movement, a flexible tension rod rigidly supported at oneend bysaid slide member, a link con.- nected between its other end and saidcatch means, and manually operable actuating means for impartingmovement to said slide member, whereby said catch means is moved intoand out of operative relation with said keeper means, said tension rodadapted to be sprung between its ends under tension in the operativerelation of said catch means.

2. In a hood latching device, movable catch means for engaging keepermeans, a movement translating slide member diiferentially movablewith-respect to said catch means having up and down movement, a iiexibletension rod rigidly supported at one end by said slide member andmovably connected at its other end to said catch 11,-- means, andmanually operable actuating means for imparting movement to said slidemember, whereby said catch means is moved into and out of engagementwith said keeper means, and said actuating means adapted to have furthermovel ment whereby further movement is imparted to said slide member andsaid tension rod is sprung between its ends under tension in the fulloperative relation of said catch means with said keeper means.

3. In a hood latching device, a plurality of movable catch means forengaging spaced keeper means, movement translating means differentiallymovable with respect to said catch means disposed intermediate saidcatch means and having up and down movement, iiexible tension rodsrigidly supported at one end by said slide member and movably connectedat their other ends to said respective catch means, and manuallyoperable actuating means for imparting movef ment to said movementtranslating means whereby said catch means are moved into and out ofengagement with said keeper means, and said actuating means adapted tohave further movement whereby further movement is imparts,

ed to said slide member and said tension rods are sprung between theirends under tension in the full operative relation of s aid catch meanswith said keeper means.

RAYMOND G. MOORE.

